Not For All the Diamonds in the World
by LaBellaBella
Summary: The adaption of what I percieved would have happened after Bella Nelluc. Permission granted. It's the story of Bella, if she had run into a Hollywood agency directly after Edward left. What happens when life she thought she lost is suddenly within reach?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

This story is for theenvylover, and is not my idea.

Okay, I wanted to clarify that before I started this story, and is response to the oneshot "Bella Nelluc" made by theenvylover, another author on this site that I'm sure many of you may be familiar with. She proposed that any author may take her short story and continue it, with certain requirements. So, here is my take on what would happen if that were a broader idea and a chaptered story.

So thank you, theenvylover, and I hope it's great for you! And now, on with "Not for All the Diamonds in the World".

* * *

My world was over. 

Existence? Over.

Meaning, love, life, happiness? All over. Finished.

And this was all brought on by myself-my revolting, masochistic monstrosity of a being. It was unjust to let me taint the air I breathed, that others breathed.

That my Bella breathed.

Of course, she wasn't _my_ Bella any longer. She had moved on, probably to enjoy another life-a better one, perhaps, without me. _No_, I decided,_ not perhaps_. Any life for her without me in it would be better for her. She would be happier, and would get to live her life to its fullest. She would have a human family, where no one could hurt her, and a human child. The fact that she would be _able_ to have a child suggested a much more idealistic lifestyle than the kind I had once presented her with. And a human husband-she would have that, too. One who could hold her and give her warmth and grow old with her, and breath with her and kiss her soft lips without worrying of crushing her or puncturing her beautiful, translucent, pale, luscious skin...

I winced, the mere thought of her in another man's arms paining me. But what could I do? She wasn't mine any more. I couldn't keep her safe or cherish her as my own, or love her or stay with her or watch her sleep. I couldn't be with her, and yet I kept on wanting what was not mine to take.

I thought of the story of Adam and Eve, in the garden of Eden. How they both had everything a being could desire. They had the luscious fruits and they beautiful green trees. They had the silky-coated animals that roamed peacefully and the warm sun that shined upon them, giving them warmth and overall happiness. But they threw it all away, choosing to go against the rules that were so carefully laid and they took that fruit that was forbidden to them. It was inconceivable to me, why they had done that, to risk such a wonderful life they had been guaranteed for eternity.

But then, you could call me the biggest hypocrite that ever existed.

I had done just that. I had no rights whatsoever in wanting Bella. She was so...alive, with her rose red lips and amazing blush, her pale and tiny, fragile figure and her inviting smile. She was beautiful in ways that no one else could achieve, neither human nor vampire alike.

And I took my forbidden fruit.

But now, even as I had made the right decision, had forced myself away from her to protect her from the dangers that my being with her presented, I felt miserable. The only thing that kept me from just giving up completely was the mere thought of her being, in the slightest, happy. She deserved a whole life of happiness, and I would be damned if she didn't get it.

"Why, hello Edward. Fancy seeing you here. On the couch. Mourning." Rosalie said sarcastically as she appeared and sat down next to me, pretending to be chum-like and friendly. "Long time no see."

"Shut up, Rosalie." I grumbled, glaring at the wall.

She dropped the smile and rolled her eyes, picking up the TV remote. She flipped it on and began to flip through the channels, various sounds and voices starting as she got to them, before being cut off as she went to the next channel. _Let's see, _she thought._ Crap. Crap. MAJOR crap. Crap. Cr-wait a minute...is that...Oh my _God Suddenly, she slammed her finger down on the power button, shutting the television off and breaking the remote in the process, wires flying out of the big hole she had created in her haste.

I turned to look at her curiously, the first time in weeks I had looked at anything but the wall. "What was that?"

"Nothing...just nothing." She said, her tone struggling to keep an even speed. _Twinkle, twinkle, little star...How I wonder what you are...Up above the sky so high...Like a diamond in the sky...Twinkle, twinkle..._

I narrowed my eyes; she was hiding something from me. "I'm surprised, Rosalie. Usually your most popular choice is the ABCs, or Mary Had a Little Lamb." I said, eying her carefully.

She gave a nervous laugh, revealing her tension. "What? Can't I sing child songs without being investigated? _God_, Edward, really."

I got up suddenly, walking to the television. She was hiding something, and that provoked something in me to find out what it was. It had been the first spark of actual feeling in the months since we had left Forks. I hadn't even realized that I was doing it-I just walked up to the set and pushed the POWER button. Sure enough, it was on the channel that Rosalie had so quickly went out of her way to hide from me. What I had been expecting, I couldn't say.

But what I saw was much more than I could have ever been able to dream up, even if it were possible for me to do so.

On the screen, it showed two women, one in their late thirties, and one of eighteen, it looked. The woman wore an overly enthusiastic smile and a brown business suit, her whitened teeth framed by bright cherry red lipstick. Her bleached blonde hair was pulled up high on her head in an elaborate twist, held up by about two and a half bottles of hair spray and gel. She was grinning like a fool and waiting silently while the other talked. The whole time she was nodding her head, or sometimes throwing in a "Yes, of course," or "Oh, terrible." She was, I concluded, just like any other TV show host, interviewing stars to get the ratings higher.

The other girl, however, was talking quietly, every now and then using her hands to go along with the story. She was smiling politely, but not really. It was fake, and didn't touch her eyes, which were beautiful and deep and doe-like. They were like dark, warm pools of...coffee, perhaps. Her long locks of mahogany hair were just pulled back from her face, and cascaded in gentle waves down her back. She wore a deep red dress, which ruffled slightly whenever she shifted positions.

And then I realized who she was.

Bella smiled. "Yes, and that's pretty much my life story up until now."

The woman on the TV laughed and let it trail off slowly "Yes...so, Bella, tell America: how is it, do you think, that you got so big as an actress in just six months? We know how you did it, but what do you think was your biggest inspiration? How you got so...talented?"

Bella's face dropped slightly, before she recomposed it again. "Well, suppose I got my talent from...an old friend of mine. We were...very close, I had believed, until one day, he just...left." She frowned. "I guess I was so upset that when Frank came to me and asked if I "wanted to be big", I wasn't thinking properly. So I said yes, and it pretty much went on from there."

Then, she looked at the screen. But it didn't feel like she was looking at the camera, or looking at America watching from their homes and couches. It felt like she was looking at me, watching me watch her intently, confused about everything that was going on. Her warm brown eyes threw daggers into me, as if daring me to come and get her, like I so wanted to.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Oh...so it was_ that_ kind of friend. Can you tell us his name?"

Bella hesitated. "Well, I don't know, Shannon..."

"Come now, I'm sure he won't mind. After all, you're the most famous eighteen year old in the country, and you're going to get him on television, in front of all America! He'll probably want to call and thank you, for all that!"

"Umm..." Bella said, her voice wavering under the pressure. "His name was...his name was..."

"His name was? What was his name?"

"His name was Edward." Her voice broke on my name, her eyes starting to go glassy. I wanted to snap the woman's neck who made her want to cry, and I'm sure Rosalie could hear the low growl that was building in my chest as my temper rose.

The woman, Shannon as Bella had called her, was now grinning in obvious pleasure at her accomplishment. As she was shifting her legs, she said, "Oh...that is a very unconventional name. As if he was born during the eighteen hundreds!" She laughed, a hyena-like laugh that was overly excited and enthusiastic, so that it was obvious she was faking it.

Bella shook her head and murmured, "You have _no_ idea."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Shannon looked at her curiously, and seemed as if she would protest or something of the sort and try to pry some more information out of Bella, before a tiny beep sounded, small and slightly annoying. "Oh! Well, I suppose that's all the time we have for now! And thank you _so much_, Bella, for coming, and we hope to see you very soon in another movie. What was that? Oh, you do have one, Under Pressure, it's called? Well, we very much wish that you will join us once again on "_Q and A with the Stars_", here in the very state Bella grew up in: Washington! So tune in next week, when we will be interviewing our very own Robby Nockwell, the oldest man at sixty-seven years old to be vault jumping!"

Bella smiled politely. "You're very welcome. I had a pleasant time coming on the show."

I shut the TV off in a daze, wondering what I had just witnessed. Was it true? Had my Bella-the shy, beautiful girl who couldn't lie for her life truly be an..._actor_? I cocked an eyebrow, a mix of shock and amusement taking over me, before I realized that the love of my entire _existence_ had just been on that screen, aproximately four inches from my face.

"Did you..._know_ about this, Rosalie?" For the first time in a long time, my voice wavered, was unsure.

She looked at me with a cold glare, a pained look in her eyes. "_God_, Edward. She became the most famous actress in the country in just _sixth months_-how could you expect _me_, of all people, not to know? You were just so caught up in your own little indulgences and gloomy, depressed self that you didn't even take the time to think for once."

"Think?" I said, my voice rising angrily. "What do you think I've been doing for the past seven months? There's nothing that I've done besides think! And Alice...I bet she knew too, didn't she?"

Rosalie narrowed her eyes. "You didn't think about the _important_ things, Edward. You thought about yourself, and that little _human_ you wasted all of your time on. You needed to think about your _family_! You needed to think about us, instead of your own stupid...fling!" She paused, letting her biting words sink in. "And besides, Alice and I are the only ones who actually pay attention to that human crap. The rest of you couldn't care in the least!"

"Why...why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you?" She cried, standing up. "_Tell you_? Edward, we've all tried to tell you something! We try to _tell_ you something every day...every hour...every _minute_! But you don't listen-you don't care!" She stopped, glaring at me. "And so we stopped trying to tell you. _We gave up_, Edward. "

I didn't say anything. I just stood up and straightened the couch, fixing my clothes. I ran a hand through my hair and turned to my room, down the hallway from the living room. As I started walking, I could hear Rosalie's frantic thoughts, asking me where I thought I was going.

I stopped and turned to her, smiling dully. "I'm going to take a shower," I said. "And then I'm going to Washington."


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! I am SO glad that you guys were so satisfied with the last chapter. Sorry, though, this story won't be one that will be going along as quickly as some of you may want it. But I still have TONS of other stories that I have to finish, and some that I haven't even posted yet that I've begun! So I'm sorry for that, but I guess I'll try to go as fast as possible and get updates for this chapter posted soon.**

"Listen, Bella. We do _not_ have time for this! Mr. Sanders is in the conference room at this very moment, and you're off _daydreaming_? Come on. Fix your hair and straighten your dress, and walk in as quietly and _gracefully_ as you can. And don't forget to smile a lot. This is a big job for both you and me, so _don't_ blow it."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, sure Frank. Whatever you say."

Benny sighed heavily and handed me my script, the one that I was supposed to read to Director Sanders after he had a look at my resume (Although, why he would even need to look at it with all this hype is beyond me. I mean, why _wouldn't _he cast me, the "hottest thing out there", for the lead role? It was what the public wanted). "I'm being serious, Bella. Midsummer Night's Dream with land you at the highest of the high, the best of the best! Don't you _want_ your star in the cement? Don't you _want _your name to be next to Charlie Chaplin and Nicole Kidman? Don't you _want_ that, Bella?"

"No."

"_You_ are a piece of work."

"Thank you."

He groaned. "One day, I'm going to leave you for some other important eighteen-year-old actress, one that will actually listen to me and take my advice. And then you're going to be left in the dust, and everyone will forget about Bella Swan, the young actress that, once, made amazing movies, but now is just a has-been."

"I can't be a has-been at eighteen years old, Frank."

"You know what? I give up. Just go in there and do your best, okay?" He sighed again, this time pushing me closer to the door.

I looked ahead of me, up at the shiny metallic sign above the wooden office door, which happened to be reading "Conference Room 913". I half-smiled-though it was more a smile at the irony than out of pure happiness. 9/13: my birthday. It was almost funny, seeing as the date was March 16. It was _exactly_ six months, two days, and thirteen hours since my life changed.

But then again, who was counting?

I looked behind me, trying to find the agent that I snapped at on a daily basis. I'm not sure why I did. Maybe it was for moral support, or to apologize for my constant sarcastic remarks...I don't know. But when I turned my head, Frank wasn't there anymore, instead having gone off to get some coffee and email the agency. I sighed-I would be facing this alone.

Squaring my shoulders, I gave a soft knock on the door.

"Come in."

The raspy voice granted me access, and I slowly turned the silvery knob. As I was given a better view of the sixty-four year-old famous director, I noticed that his face was blank, like a new white canvas. He wore a ratted old beret, with wisps of fine silver hair sticking out from the sides and pink lips in a thin, flat line. His eyes were cold and piercing blue, and seemed to be scrutinizing every detail of the opening door. When he saw me, though, and recognized my face as Bella Swan, his eyes lit up. "Ah!" He rejoiced. "Isabella M. Swan! I have been looking forward to meeting you so much!"

I forced a smile, slightly tilting my head to the side. "Thank you, Director Sanders. I, too, have really been excited to come here. Now, if you want to see my portfolio, I have it right-"

He interrupted me with a grin, "Oh I will, I will! Sit down first, please. Make yourself comfortable." He motioned with one hand to the chair across from him, of new red leather.

Once I had sat, he continued. "Now, I just want to make sure you understand this role, Bella. Helena is a gorgeous woman, of course, but extremely self-concious. Because the man that she is in love with loves another, she thinks it's because she's not beautiful. She doesn't understand why her friend, Hermia, is wooing the men-so to speak-so efficiently. And when the love potion is sprayed in the eyes of both Demetrius, her love that doesn't pay attention, and Lycander, Hermia's lover, both awaken to see her and pursue her, she believes they are making fun of her, teasing her. So that helps nothing to build her self-esteem, you see.

"Bella, you must capture her longing and love for this man, this man that seems to pay no attention to her. But that, exactly, is what it is! He only believes he loves Hermia, because of what he has thought in his mind. He has built an idea that Hermia is so beautiful, that he does not recognize Helena's own beauty and strength. Helena exclaims, 'Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind'. Do you understand this, Bella?"

I nodded absently, trying with all my might not to think of the relation to my life.

"Good, good. I knew you would be able to do this. Now, I'd just like you to read these lines, from Act I, Scene I, 227-235." He watched me closely as I flipped open to the page, searching for the lines of my soon-to-be character.

And, sure enough, there they were, reading HELENA. It was a short block of words, only about nine lines long, written by Shakespeare in a poetic form. But, as I quickly scanned the words, their meanings were what caused a spasm of fear throughout my body. As I stared in shock at the words, I could hear Director Sanders clearing his throat. I sighed, and started to read.

_"Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.__  
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.  
He will not know what all but he do know.  
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,  
So I, admiring of his qualities.  
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,  
Love can transpose to form and dignity.  
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,  
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."_

I swallowed, my eyes stinging with the salty liquid. And yet, with these tears I stilled defied the fact that I was thinking, yet again, of _him_, although I told myself-promised myself-that I never would. It would only hurt me, to think of him. It would only kill me to think back on what could have been, or what I was too stupid to realize-that it was all just a dream, a perverted joke.

_Poor Helena_. I laughed sourly in my head, scowling at the fictional fool. I mean, what was she to think that love could be forced? That somehow, she could convince her lover to return her feelings against his will? Without that magic, that potion, she would have never ended up with Demetrius; never would have lived a perfect happily ever after.

And, in reality, I had no fairy to save me.

I was brought back out of my thoughts when I noticed Director Sanders clapping, his face strangely glistening. "Bravo! Bravo! You are perfect, I knew it!" I realized that the shine on his cheeks were tears, streaming down from his wet eyes. "I knew you were absolutely perfect, right from the start! You will play Helena, and I'll be damned if you don't! Now, I want you to pack up your portfolio-I need not see more-and go back to your manager...Frank, was it?"

I nodded, still numb.

"Right. Well, go back to Frank and tell him I want you here, ready to go, on Monday morning, a five days from now. I want you to come with a nice attitude, ready to get to work. Of course, I do not doubt your willpower for this project, Bella, and I know you will be eager to please. Thank you so much, for coming, and I will see you then. Goodbye." He started to turn away from me, swiveling his chair to the other side of his desk.

Quickly, I remembered to ask something that I _had_ been curious about. "Oh! And, Director Sanders?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"Who, if I may ask, will be playing the other lead roles?"

He smiled, then, reaching for a tissue from the paisly-colored box that sat to the right of his laptop. As he dabbed his soaked face with it, he replied, "Oh, we do have a lovely cast. You remember Collin Mathews, don't you? He worked with you in _The Days of the Year_. He's playing Lycander, along with Lauren Mallory as Hermia. She's new to Hollywood, but I figured I'd give her a try. And then there's Dave Connors, as the trouble-making fairy Puck. There are many more, my dear, who you will be meeting shortly, I promise you."

A name in there struck me as familiar, but I ignored it. I tried, often, to forget anything that reminded me of my past. But one role I did not hear him say. "And, Director Sanders, who will be playing the part of my supposed lover, Demetrius? Surely another star such as me...maybe Bobby Spitzer? Or is it Greg Blonselle-I heard he was hot nowadays." It had to be one of those-one of those perfect, hunky blonde stars with absolutely no personality.

But then he surprised me with his answer:

"Oh no! We don't even know yet! I had this grand idea to let others audition for the part."

**There you go-the second chapter!! Thanks again to theenvylover, for this amazing storyline! Of course, _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ is one of my favorite works by Shakespeare, (well, one of my favorite of his comedies) and I thought that Romeo and Juliet would have been too cliche. Anyways, thanks so much, and PLEASE review-all of them truly make my day!**

P.S.

**God, if I get one more review on another story that says "When are you going to update By Moonlight?" I think I'm going to shoot someone. Please, people! I am GETTING TO IT. I, in fact, am in that very process at this moment, trying my hardest to write it. But it has to be perfect, see? And besides, I'm already up to 3,000 words in that one chapter, and I'm not even half-way done with it.**


	3. Sorry

**Dude, guys. I have got some totally, un-awesometastic bad news. The thing is, I'm not going to be updating ANY-a****nd I repeat, ANY-o****f my stories for a long time. That means you won't know what happens after Mike arrives in _War_, or if Edward will ever find Bella in _Not for All the Diamonds in the World_, or how Bella starts to deal with her new life in _By Starlight_.**

**Yes, sigh, you will not be knowing any of these things any time soon. Unfortunately, I have some extremely important family issues to attend to, and going on the computer is pretty much at the bottom of my list right now. Yes, I know that you guys might get a little bit mad at me-and believe me, I'll have a hard time pealing myself away from my babies-but you have a to understand, at least for a little while.**

**Thanks so much for your support, and I hope to get back to you soon!**

**Love ya babes!**

**Belle**


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